Global Equity Investing Through the Decades

Since we launched the MSCI World Index 55 years ago, investors have witnessed many profound transformations that have shaped the global markets we know today. In this research report, we highlight the most notable developments in the global-equity investment opportunity set across regions, size segments and sector exposures. And because investors’ needs are constantly changing, we explore where continued innovation in equity indexing may lead.

Since 1975, small caps and EM stocks have expanded the global equity opportunity set

Data from Dec. 31, 1974, to Dec. 31, 2024. The chart on the left shows the number of constituents of the MSCI World Index through Dec. 31, 1987, and of the MSCI ACWI Index thereafter. The chart on the right shows the number of constituents of the MSCI ACWI IMI since May 31, 2002.